PRESENTATION ON

NUCLEAR
BATTERY

Submitted By:
Sandeep Meena
UE114055

EEE 8th Sem.

Content
Introduction
Historical Development
Types of Nuclear Batteries
Fuel Consideration
Advantages
Applications
Conclusion

Introduction
The terms atomic battery, nuclear battery,

tritium battery and radioisotope generator are

used to describe a device which uses energy
from the decay of a radioactive isotope to
generate electricity.
Need for compact, reliable, light weight and
self-contained power supplies.
Chemical batteries require frequent
replacements and are bulky.
No fission reaction is used.

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS
Nuclear battery technology began in 1913,

when Henry Moseley first demonstrated the

beta cell.
Patented to Tracer Lab in 1950.
Radioisotope electric power system was
developed by Paul Brown.
He organized an approach to harness energy
from the magnetic field of alpha and beta
particles using Radium-226.

Types of Nuclear
Batteries
Thermion
ic
Converte
rs
Thermal
Converto
rs
Radioisotop
e
thermoelect
ric
generator

Thermo
photovolta
ic cells

Alkalimetal
thermal to
electric
converter

Betavolta
Betavolta
ic
ic
Optoelectri
Optoelectri
cc

Reciprocating
Reciprocating
electromechani
electromechani
cal battery
battery
cal

Alphavoltai
Alphavoltai
cs
cs

NonThermal
Convertor
s
Direct
Direct
charging
charging
generato
generato
rs
rs

1. THERMAL CONVERTER
The thermal converters are the devices which
convert heat energy to electrical energy i.e.
whose output power is a function of a
temperature differential. Thermal converters
are also classified into following types:
Thermionic Converters
Radioisotope thermoelectric generator
Thermo photovoltaic cells
Alkali-metal thermal to electric converter

Thermionic Converters
A thermionic converter

consists of a hot
electrode which
thermionically emits
electrons over a
potential energy barrier
to a cooler electrode,
producing a useful
electric power output.
Cesium atoms adsorbed
on the electrode
surfaces to produce
sufficent ion supply

Thermo-photovoltic Cells

Alkali-metal thermal to electric

converter

2. NON-THERMAL CONVERTERS
Non-thermal converters extract a fraction of the
nuclear energy as it is being degraded into heat.
Their outputs are not functions of temperature
differences as are thermoelectric and thermionic
converters. Non-thermal generators can be
grouped into following classes:
Betavotaic
Alphavoltaics
Direct charging generators
Optoelectric
Reciprocating electromechanical battery

Betavotaic
Before the

radioactive source
is introduced , no
current flows as
the electrical
forces are in
equilibrium.
As a beta emitter
is introduced ,
electrons are
knocked out by
its energy.

Alphavoltaics
Alpha voltaic power sources are devices that

use a semiconductor junction to produce

electrical particle from energetic alpha
particles.
This technique is same as Betavoltaic.
Only difference is used of alpha particles
instead of beta particle.

Reciprocating
electromechanical battery
Measuring Device

Piezoelectric Plate
Silicon cantilever
Copper sheet
High-energy
electrons
Radioactive source
1. Beta particles (high-energy electrons) fly
spontaneously from the radioactive
source and hit the copper sheet, where they
accumulate.

2. Electrostatic attraction between the copper

sheet and the radioactive source
bends the silicon cantilever and the piezoelectric
plate on top of it.

3. When the cantilever bends to the point where

the copper sheet touches the
radioactive source, the electrons flow back to it,
and the attractive force ceases.

4. The cantilever then oscillates, and the

mechanical stress in the piezoelectric
plate
creates an imbalance in its charge
distribution, resulting in an electric current .

FUEL CONSIDERATIONS
Avoiding gamma rays in decay chain.
Ra-226 produces Bi-214.
Strong gamma radiation.
Shielding makes it bulky.
Half life.
Cost.

Main Fuel
Nickel-63 (Ni-63)
Strontium-90 (Sr-90)
Promitium-147 (Pm-147)
Tin-121 (Sn-121)
Tantalum-180

ADVANTAGES
Life span- minimum of 10 years.
Reliable electricity.
Amount of energy is highest.
Lighter with high energy density.
Efficient, less waste generation.
Reduces green house and associated effects.
Fuel used is the nuclear waste from nuclear

fission.

APPLICATIONS
Space Applications
Medical Applications
Mobile Devices
Automobiles
Military Applications
Under water Sea Sensors

CONCLUSION
Small compact devices of future require small

batteries.
Nuclear batteries increase functionality,
reliability and longevity.
Batteries of the near future.

REFERENCE
Power from radioisotopes, USAEC, Division

of Technical Information
Powerstream.com
Powerpaper.com
Technologyreview.com
Wikipedia.com/atomic battery

THANK YOU